[Z06] C5Z vs. C5?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Geez...Corvette owners are a tough crowd! 
For $10K (including the car purchase) one can easily put a LS1 F-body into the 11s and still have it drive like a Honda Accord.
Longtubes/cat-back/CAI/tune/150shot can easily be done for under $3K and will push 480rwhp in a 3400lb car.
Don't know how that is a "lot of money" or "slow"...but I guess everybody's parameters are different.
For $10K (including the car purchase) one can easily put a LS1 F-body into the 11s and still have it drive like a Honda Accord.
Longtubes/cat-back/CAI/tune/150shot can easily be done for under $3K and will push 480rwhp in a 3400lb car.
Don't know how that is a "lot of money" or "slow"...but I guess everybody's parameters are different.
Some of the fastest corvette we see on road course, the SCCA T1 C5Z and C6LS2 ( LS3 engines go bang too much) and the NASA ST2 C5Z.
and here is the kicker, they run about 385 RWHP. 3250 lbs with roll cage, driver and fuel
$3K for 480 rwhp ?
but for how long???? a few sub 10 sec passes??stock internals and it wont last long at all. that is $3K down the drain ( flush)
Last edited by AU N EGL; Apr 25, 2012 at 11:39 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 901
Likes: 2
From: Palm City Fl
With all the go fast equipment out there you never know what your up against. If its blown you can hear it but the squirt is stealth. S0 if you get challenged beware. I remember cruising in Indiana one evenning on the way to BG for an anniversary event. Some kid in a Camero SS gen 3 sounded health wanted to engage me. I told him I'd pass wifey in the car as he's ready to move from stop light he purges a little gas from the vent. All I had at the time was a small cam headers. I think I could have been a kill story.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
My H/C/150 wet shot LS1 made 576rwhp/590rwtq on a stock bottom for three years before pushing a head-gasket (which was probably my fault). When we pulled the heads, everything else looked great...cross-hatching was even still visible. Stupid-fast car for hyper pistons and cast crank...
There is a gentleman in FL (who shall remain nameless) that has made a bunch of money racing a stock LS1 Z28 with a 200shot. Went about two years before a freshening up.
If you think intake, exhaust and a 150shot is going to rapidly destroy a LS engine, I beg to differ. More than likely a poor tune, poor install or greed/stupidity will destroy the engine...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
My H/C/150 wet shot LS1 made 576rwhp/590rwtq on a stock bottom for three years before pushing a head-gasket (which was probably my fault). When we pulled the heads, everything else looked great...cross-hatching was even still visible. Stupid-fast car for hyper pistons and cast crank...
Instructor
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
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Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
LS1 F-bodys don't pay the Corvette Tax and what I listed to make 480rwhp is easily doable for $3K. Even at shop rates, you would be close...
$800 LTs/Y-pipe (TSP, OBX, etc)
$400 Cat-back (Hooker, Magnaflow)
$100 CAI (SLP or similar lid)
$700 Nitrous kit (TNT, Nitrous Works, NX all have basic nozzle kits. Plate kits with all the goodies might be more...)
$300 GOOD dyno tune
$40 Colder plugs
That still leaves $660 for install if you wanted a shop to do it. Yeah, you'll probably need a clutch, convertor and rear to make to most of it...along with some suspension goodies, but it is still a heck of a bang-to-buck recipe. If you can wrench yourself and are willing to buy lightly-used parts, you could do it even cheaper.
Don't laugh, but LS1 F-Bodys are the new 5.0 Fox Mustangs.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,186
Likes: 2
From: Woodinville WA
I think you are selling the Gen IIIs short. Stock bottom end on a LS1 will take a 150shot for quite a while with proper support and tuning.
My H/C/150 wet shot LS1 made 576rwhp/590rwtq on a stock bottom for three years before pushing a head-gasket (which was probably my fault). When we pulled the heads, everything else looked great...cross-hatching was even still visible. Stupid-fast car for hyper pistons and cast crank...
There is a gentleman in FL (who shall remain nameless) that has made a bunch of money racing a stock LS1 Z28 with a 200shot. Went about two years before a freshening up.
If you think intake, exhaust and a 150shot is going to rapidly destroy a LS engine, I beg to differ. More than likely a poor tune, poor install or greed/stupidity will destroy the engine...
My H/C/150 wet shot LS1 made 576rwhp/590rwtq on a stock bottom for three years before pushing a head-gasket (which was probably my fault). When we pulled the heads, everything else looked great...cross-hatching was even still visible. Stupid-fast car for hyper pistons and cast crank...
There is a gentleman in FL (who shall remain nameless) that has made a bunch of money racing a stock LS1 Z28 with a 200shot. Went about two years before a freshening up.
If you think intake, exhaust and a 150shot is going to rapidly destroy a LS engine, I beg to differ. More than likely a poor tune, poor install or greed/stupidity will destroy the engine...
He's an avid road racer and looks at durability from that perspective/experience. For a weekend warrior/street-strip car durability probably wouldn't be a problem if the tune was good.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
My point is that it is tough to beat a LS1 on spray in the bang-for-buck category.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,186
Likes: 2
From: Woodinville WA
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
I look for valuable input even if I don't share the same opinion/philosophy...
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Well maybe
N02 spray or EtOH would not be legal on a road course for safety reasons. that bottle in the back is just not a good idea.
circles? hmmm round-a-bouts or SKID PADS YAHHHHHHHHH
eat up those used tires. SO much fun turning left looking out the right side window, while the rear tires swing around to the left
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Back in 03 when I bought my coupe, I was torn.
Wanted the HP of the Z06 but loved the look of the coupe.
So bought the coupe, and with in a month:
LTS, high flow cats, x and good flowing exhaust. tune
two weeks latter, 243 heads, 224/224 cam TPiS 78mm tb, tune
Month latter set of CCW classic streets
three months latter set of CCW classic tracks
Race seat, 2 sets of tires, ( 8 )
march of 04, oil cooler, accu-sump, trans cooler, T1 suspension, and
another set of CCW Classic Tracks ( more Tires )
PLUS pick up truck and 24 ft enclosed trailer some where in that time frame
after that nothing but brake rotors, brake pads, brake fluid
Seat time, seat time and tires, and more tires and seat time.
March of 05 I had a disagreement with the out side gatter ( curbing) on Road Atlanta Turn 5, and unsettled the car.
spon the rear end out doing 100-105 mph,
Next thing I knew I was going backwards between the concert wall and the cars on the track and just as fast too. :chit:
Decided it was Not the time to personally meet, GOD and I was getting married in two months, so I nudged the right rear of the car into the concrete wall doing 80 or so, vs going out into traffic. ( Yes I had on a fire suit, race seat, harness and had just bought a HANS and had it installed too )
bent the right rear frame quarter :curze: and bust up lots of fiber glass.
But I DID drive the car back to the pitts. phewww.
Called my girl friend soon to be wife. Told her what happened, but I was OK. and was going to stay an extra night to cool down and make sure I was OK.
she said, "well you did want to get those aero body parts any way. " Damn GOOD woman.
Wanted the HP of the Z06 but loved the look of the coupe.
So bought the coupe, and with in a month:
LTS, high flow cats, x and good flowing exhaust. tune
two weeks latter, 243 heads, 224/224 cam TPiS 78mm tb, tune
Month latter set of CCW classic streets
three months latter set of CCW classic tracks
Race seat, 2 sets of tires, ( 8 )
march of 04, oil cooler, accu-sump, trans cooler, T1 suspension, and
another set of CCW Classic Tracks ( more Tires )
PLUS pick up truck and 24 ft enclosed trailer some where in that time frame
after that nothing but brake rotors, brake pads, brake fluid
Seat time, seat time and tires, and more tires and seat time.
March of 05 I had a disagreement with the out side gatter ( curbing) on Road Atlanta Turn 5, and unsettled the car.
spon the rear end out doing 100-105 mph,
Next thing I knew I was going backwards between the concert wall and the cars on the track and just as fast too. :chit:
Decided it was Not the time to personally meet, GOD and I was getting married in two months, so I nudged the right rear of the car into the concrete wall doing 80 or so, vs going out into traffic. ( Yes I had on a fire suit, race seat, harness and had just bought a HANS and had it installed too )
bent the right rear frame quarter :curze: and bust up lots of fiber glass.
But I DID drive the car back to the pitts. phewww.
Called my girl friend soon to be wife. Told her what happened, but I was OK. and was going to stay an extra night to cool down and make sure I was OK.
she said, "well you did want to get those aero body parts any way. " Damn GOOD woman.
Last edited by AU N EGL; Apr 25, 2012 at 06:56 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,355
Likes: 113
From: Los Angeles
If I was only interested in making big dyno #'s and driving fast in a straight line, then I'd probably have a LS1 F-body (or maybe a Terminator Cobra).
But I like to use my steering wheel, hence the C5Z
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,124
Likes: 105
From: Pensacola FL
